This invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring the quantity of a finish medium coated on or dispersed through a fiber and more particularly to measuring electrically conductive finishes applied to the filament.
It is common quality control practice to periodically measure the amount of finish on a filament after the filament has passed through a finish applicator. Often, a sample of the filament is cut from the system and chemically tested in a laboratory. Such methods not only cause a delay in the overall operation when a sample filament is extracted from the system, they also result in a long delay before the results are received. Further, past methods do not permit continuous monitoring of the finish or selective trouble shooting throughout a system.
An object of this invention is to provide a finish measuring apparatus for continuously or selectively monitoring the amount of finish on a moving filament within a system without the need for interfering with the continued system operation.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a finish measuring apparatus the calibration of which requires no preliminary laboratory analysis of the particular finishing medium used.